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Tufnell: KP not a great player

Former England spinner Phil Tufnell has criticised Kevin Pietersen for the manner of his dismissals in the Ashes series and believes the batsman cannot be called a "great player" as a result.

Pietersen, who re-affirmed his commitment to the the national side on Monday night following the calamitous 5-0 defeat Down Under, was England's highest run-scorer against Australia.

Yet his 294 runs came at an average of 29.4 and he was guilty of giving his wicket away, when well placed, on several occasions.

It is has earned the ire of several former professionals, with Tufnell, who took 121 wickets in 42 Tests for England, the latest to condemn Pietersen.

"He's a good player who's played great innings, but great players wouldn't have played the shots he has throughout this series to get out," Tufnell said on BBC Radio Five Live.

"At Perth (where Pietersen scored 45 in England's second innings), he hits one ball over long-off for six and then the next ball, he hits it straight down the fielder's neck.

"He comes in at Adelaide (where he scored four in the first innings) and you're saying, 'come on Kev, get us out of this hole', but he comes down the wicket and flicks Peter Siddle to one of the two men on the drive at mid-on.

"Why is he doing that? Great players wouldn't have played those shots."

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